What are Visual Methods Jon Prosser University of

What are Visual Methods Jon Prosser, University of Leeds and Andrew Clark, University of Salford

What are visual research methods: an overview The four ‘R’s of visual research methods ► Researcher found visual data ► Researcher created visual data ► Respondent generated visual data ► Representation and visualisation of data

Researcher found visual data: comics

Researcher found visual data: paintings

Researcher found visual data: cartoon

Researcher created visual data: empirically framed software

Researcher created visual data: empirically framed ~ eye tracking

Researcher created visual data: documentary photography

Representation and Visual Research: Arts-based research (Courtesy of Dona Schwartz, ‘Super Bowel’ book, University of Minnesota)

Researcher created visual data: cultural inventory

Respondent generated visual data: photo/object-elicitation 1. Photographs, film, video, drawings, or objects are introduced as part of an interview. The aim is to explore the significance or meaning of the images or objects with the respondent. 2. Useful as ‘icebreakers’ and breaks down the power differential. 3. People are generous with their time and knowledge – pleased you are taking an interest in what they do and their views. 4. Images/objects act as a neutral or third party

Respondent generated visual data: Photo/object-elicitation 6. Visual stimuli can be ‘researcher created’’, ‘researcher-generated’ , or ‘researcher found’ and taken from comics or magazines etc. 7. Use respondents own cultural artefacts for example favourite clothes, cell phones, icons, symbols or spaces they frequent. 8. Use respondents own artwork for example drawings, doodles, sketches, posters, photographs or videos they have created ~ maybe also record their creation. 9. Accessing perceptions through image-elicitation may work by taking an indirect route e. g. old films or photographs newspapers, magazines. 10. Use polysemic quality of photographs ~ ‘projective technique’.

Respondent generated visual data: Photo/object-elicitation

Respondent generated visual data Flexible approach adopting a wide range of tools which are modelled on different questions and individually suited to participants’ own preferences: Time-lines ► Self-portraits: draw and write ► Diaries (paper, electronic, photographic, video) ► Shooting back: participants’ photographs/video, walkabout/ shadowing. ►

Respondent generated visual data: the walkabout

Respondent generated visual data: self portrait (courtesy of Anna Bagnoli, University of Leeds)

Respondent generated visual data: time line (courtesy of Anna Bagnoli, University of Leeds)

Respondent generated visual data: concept maps

Respondent generated visual data: mapping

Respondent generated visual data: via their visual culture (courtesy of Kate Wall, University of Newcastle and Steve Higgins, University of Durham)

Respondent generated visual data: shooting back Giving cameras to respondents and inviting them to photograph aspects of their lives gives them the freedom to create their own research agenda in four ways: 1. If the images are used later for photo-elicitation it is their priorities that are the focus. 2. As narrative and a vehicle for personal expression. 3. Gives them time to think things through for themselves 4. Helps redress power imbalance between researcher and researched 5. Be clear about what, why and how.

Representation and Visual Research: with words

Representation and Visual Research Tufte’s golden rule What is to be sought in designs for the display of information is the clear portrayal of complexity. Not the complication of the simple; rather the task of the designer is to give visual access to the subtle and the difficult – that is, the revelation of the complexity. (from John Grady quote)

Representation and Visual Research

Representation and Visual Research: diagrams

Representation and Visual Research: diagrams

Representation and Visual Research: graphs

Representation and Visual Research: Arts-based research (Courtesy of Dona Schwartz, Kitchen images, University of Minnesota)